Alright I have an activator III that im looking to install. I saw SSCULLY's setup and am looking to do something similar to that. My question is can I just buy ethernet cables and connectors to follow a similar setup? Do I need 6 pin or something? I did some searching online and I think there are 5 or 6 ethernet? is this right? help? lol thanks

heres the thread that shows SSCULLY'S setup: https://www.f150online.com/forums/sh...=activator+III

 

Unless you are going to be setting up a computer network between your brake controller and the trailer, I don't see how CAT 5 cable would work???

You need regular 12 or 14 ga wire for any automotive wiring that's carrying 12v power??

Where you plug the controller in under the dash is only half of the story.. If you don't already have the factory round 7 pin connector attached to the factory class 3 frame mounted hitch receiver, then you have to add both if the trailer you have in mind to tow has brakes on it.

The round 7 is a standard trailer connector used on trailers with electric brakes for some 20+ years... There are still the round 6 pins out there, but I'll bet they are pretty old trailers.... Anyway, get the 7 for the truck and if you need to connect to any other kind of trailer connector, there should be an adapter available.

Search out some other posts where members have added a factory 7 pin to their setup by buying the factory harness and plugging it in place of the flat 4 setup they had... Follow the harness along the frame rail, right around the spare tire area and you will see where it all connects up..

Good luck!

Mitch

 

oops read your post wrong. sorry i was unclear. so the activator III has a controller and then a remote that plugs into that controller via RJ45/ Ethernet cable.

https://www.f150online.com/forums/sh...=activator+III
-theres a pic if you do not know what im talking about.

im planning to put in an ethernet coupler where one of my cigarette lighters are and then run a cable from the coupler to the controller itself. then when i am towing i can simply plug the remote into the coupler. so i was wondering if cat5 cable would be sufficient? i believe it will be, but i will contine to investigate. If SSCULLY could help me out or some one else that would awesome. thanks

 

It should work. All you are basically doing is building an extension cable for the remote control. The wires on the controller look to be of 22 or 24 guage which UTP is 22 or 24 guage depending on what catagory the cable is. There is however 2 different wire types for UTP, solid conductor and stranded with stranded being the more flexable of the two. For a static application of what your trying to do solid would work.

 

Sorry about that.... It wasn't you, I was just talking out of my a$$ again and didn't understand all the info before responding... I do that from time to time, so you'll have to bear with me!

Mitch

 

FLUF- so your saying that just buying an ethernet cable will work? and cat5 will be sufficient?

 

CAT5, CAT5e, CAT6 - essentially the same, 4 twisted pairs. The only difference is the highest rated data transfer speed.

 

Yep, you could even do it with cross connect wire if you wanted. But cat 5 and up are easier to locate. You can just get a 2 or 3 foot long premade patch cable and cut one end off of it and put a jack on it instead of buying the bulk cable and having to terminate it yourself.

 

exactly what i wanted to know. thanks alot.